Power-transmission gearing.



PATENTED DEC. 8, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' G. E. WHITBSIDE.

POWER TRANSMISSIDN GB'ARING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1 7, 1902.

I0 MODEL.

noe/who@ PATENTED DEG. 8, 1903'.Y

G. E, WHITESIDE. PQWBR TRANSMISSION SHARING..

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1A7, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/nvera 502'.

No. 746,216. PATDNTED DEG'. a, 1903.

G. E. WHITESIDE.

POWER TRANSMISSION GBARING.

APPLIonfIoN FILED Nov.1'r, 1902.

No MODEL. 4 snnnT-snmzw s.-

P ATBNTEE DEC. 3, 1903'. n

No'. 746,216. i G. B. 'WHIlBsIDlal POWER TRANSMISSION GEAR-ING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1902. l

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

i1. 'lll/IIA l' S KQ. M@

YIN-)llilwon A ATTORNEY:

WITNESSES;

tourna.. WASHINGTON. o. c.y

' ,l UNITED STATES Patented December 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

vGEORGE El WHITESIDE, OFWILsON, NEW YORK, AssIGNOR To HARRY HIGHLAND, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.

POWER-TRANSMISSION GEARING.

SEECIFICATI forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,216, dated December 8, 1903.

Application filed November 17, 1902. Serial No. 131.602. (No model.) l

To all whomA it may concern,.- y Y Beit. known that I, GEORGE E. WHITESIDE, residing atWilson, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented cer 5 tain new and'usefnl Improvements in Power- Transmission Gearing for Automobiles, dto., ot' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such'as will enable rothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i Y j My invention relates yto power-transmission gearing for-automobiles an'd'other uses; and -the objects of myin'vention are vto improve upon the construction and increase the eif substantiallyras hereinafter fully described' and claimed in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevationof an automobile provided with myimproved vtransmissiongearing.. Fig. 2 is a.longitudinalsectional elevation of power'transmission gear-ing ern-fv Fig. 3 is Y' bodyingone form of myinvention. a top plan view ofthe gearing With'lfpart of' the gear-casein section. 'Figft isa'sectio'nal end-elevation of the gearingon theline `2 2 of Flgf2: Fig. 5 isa longitndifnalsectioalelevation.` of a modified form of 'i gearing embodyingfdiiferential -g rw-S. Fig. 6 is alrenlarged detail plan-view of ",thedifferential gears, and Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view'of the hub ,of'a-vyheel'and journal.

According'.` to my invention the drivingl shaft-or countereshaft A may be driven` by anysuitablefmeans, shown in thisv instance as anengine'l-,v connectedto drive the shaft Aby meansof the chain Q- and sprocket D, andJ-means-4 are. provided for ope'rat'ingthe d'riven shaft `or aitle-:fllfatA dierent `rates of speed and forreversing the rotation of said shaft withoutv varying tliespeedr direction' of rotation of the drivingfshaft A,

whe mechanism for transmittingjpower from the driving-shaft to the driven shaft is shown Y'ciency of power-transmission gearing`with'- tially, variable-speed andreversingconnecv tions, shownin this inst-ance as intermeshing gearing, with clutches connected to control the operation of the 'same4 In the form of gearing shown in Fig. 2 gears G and H are shown fast upon the shaft or axleE, the larger gear G meshing witha pinion I, rotatable upon' the driving-shaft A, Whiley the smaller gear H meshes with a pinionJ, lalso loose or rotatable-upon the shaft -f AY.. ThegearsfH and G are shown in this instanceconnected toeach otherv by means of- I- an annular flanged ring K, which may be secured to each gear, as by means of the bolts L, thedrum -thus formed being suitable for the application of a brake-strap, hereinafter to be described. According to my construction`r the vpinions I and J are provided with clutch members O and P, with which a clutch member Q,connected tothe shaft A,is adapted to cooperate when moved in either direction longitudinallyof the shaft A,"the centrallydisposed clutch memberQ being shown in this instance as heldin position on the shaft g A'by any suitable' n1ean s,as a c'ollarR and key. The clutch members referred to may be of any suitableconstruction and arrangement; but in theconstruction 'shown the memberP consists of a` lianged and taperingring sevcured tothe pinion J, as by meansl of the threaded screws S, and forminga male clutch member adapted to coperate withv the con- 'centric female member Q. The pinion I is fast -u pon the hub Tof the clutch member O, saidc'lutch member 0 being loose upon the shaft A and concentric-with the member Q,

forming a female clutch,member'therefon From the construction described. it vwill be seen that when longitudinaly movementisim? '9o parted to the central clutch member'Q by any suitable meanscoperation'nia'y be obtained, as desired, with either of the members `O and P, therebytransmitting motion to either one of the' gears G and' H for driving theshaft E at slow or` fast speed or 'at differ- 'ent rates of speed, as desired. Means are pipvided for preventing both inner and outer clutch meinfbers O and P from engaging the j lentral clutch' `member Q at the same time, as is'v'hovv thijsin`stance, the end of the outer Within the gear-case F, and comprises, essenclutchinember O being in .contact with the ICO side of the pinion J, but not secured thereto, and the arrangements of parts is such that when the meinbei-Qis moved into frictional engagement with the outer member O there will be no frictional contact with the member P, and when the member Q is moved into frictional engagement with the member P it is disengaged from the member O. The member O in thisinstance will be prevented from moving longitudinally of the shaft because of the abutment against the pinion J. Suitable means are provided for movingthe shaftA longitudinally in its bearings in the gear-case, while permitting it to rotate freely, as shown, the shaft being provided with a reduced end 50, over which an outwardly-screw-threaded sleeve 51 is loosely arranged. The inside of the gear-case is screw-threaded to coperate with the sleeve 5l, which, as shown, abuts against the shoulder 52 on the shaft A, so that rotation of the sleeve 51 in one direction will move the shaft longitudinally in its bearings. An arm Vis attac-hed to the sleeve 5l, and a nut 53 secures the sleeve in position on the reduced portion of the shaft to permit rotation of the shaft within the sleeve. The arm V may be connected in any suitable inanner with devices in the automoble, whereby said arm may be rocked to cause longitudinal movement of the shaft A in either direction. According to my construction means are provided for causing reverse rotation of the driven shaft E, as shown, there being a pinion W connected to rotate with the shaft A and secured thereto by a sliding key 4, fast v to the shaft, and the pinion is provided with a keyway in which the key slides. Meshing with the pinion Wis a pinion X, mounted loosely on a stud Y, fixed to the gear-case F, and agear Z, loosely mounted upon the hub ct of the gear G, meshes with the pinion X. The gear Z is provided with a projecting clutch member b, in the form of a tapering annular ring secured to the gear Z by suitable means, shown as the bolts c. The clutch member b is adapted to coperate with a clutch member on the gear G to engage the same and drive said gearinareverse direction from that in whichvit is driven by the pinion I. As shown in the drawings, the gear G forms a female clutch member for the male clutch member b, fast to the gear Z, and suitable means are provided for moving said gear Z and member b longitudinally of the hub a. Upon the hub of thegearZ is loosely mounted a ring d, provided with lugs e, arranged opposite each other, the ring being held in place by another ringf, fixed to the outer portion of the hub of the gear Z, so that a running groove is formed for the ring d. A spannerring g is provided with a fork at one side, fastened, as bymeans of a hinge h, to the gearcase inside the same, said Spanner-ring being pivotally secured to the lugs e. The outer end of the Spanner-ring gis provided with an eye to receive the end of a threaded shifter i', having an arm 7', this shifter being substantially similar to the shifter U. By rocking the arm j the Spanner-ring g will move the ring d and clutch member b longitudinally upon the hub a to engage and disengage said clutch member with the gear G. The wheels 7c of the automobile, illustrated in connection with my invention, are secured to rotate with the driven shaft E in the construction illustrated in Fig. 2, and it will be seen that both wheels will be driven when either of the gears G or H is driven. The brake-band Z encircles the drum or ring K, and its ends are secured to flat sides on the brake-shaft N, supported in a socket 0 within the gear-case. Ou the outer end ofthe brake-shaftN is fixed an arm p, Fig. 1, for rotating the shaft, and thereby foldingthebrake-band around the same to produce friction or binding upon the brake-drum to act as a brake for the vehicle. The brakearm p may be suitably connected to a lever in the vehicle, whereby the same will be operated.

In the modified form of gearing shown in Fig. 5 a differential or compensating gear is shown in conjunction therewith, and in this instance one portion of the shaft E is provided' with a sleeve p, as shown, the sleeve extending to substantially the middle of the shaft and terminating between the gears G and H, which gears in this instance are loose upon the shaft and sleeve, respectively. The gears r and s are secured to the inner projecting portion of the sleeve p and to the driven shaft, as by means of keys, while pairs of coinpensating pinions t are journaled, as shown, in the sides of the gears G and H, and provided with teelh upon a portion only of each, as shown in this instance, the teeth on the pinionst covering, substantially, two-thirds of the lengthof each pinion, the remainder of said pinions being reduced and un provided with teeth. The pairs of pinionst mesh with with each other, and each pinion t meshes with one of the gears r and s, so that when` said pinions tare carried around by the gears IOO ITO

G and H a lock between them will be formed,

and the shaft E and sleeve q will be rotated simultaneously. There may be any desired number of pairs of pinions t spaced about the gears fr and s, and according to this construction it will be seen that the shaft E and sleeve q may be rotated in'opposite directions, as well as in vthe same direction, and one may rotate at a different rate of speed than the other, either forward or backward.

Referring to Fig. l, it will be seen that according to my construction the driving-shaft or counter-shaft A is arranged substantially between the driven shaft or axle E and the engine B and above the same, suitable connections being provided between the engine and the driving-shaft A fordriving the parts. This construction has been found to be eiiicient and strong and operates satisfactorily and well. From the inner left side of the gear-case to the outer left side of the gearcase the sleeve q is reduced to a lesser diizo` ameter to resist end' thrust resulting from the wheels ot the carriage and tov confine the sleeve to its bearing in the gear-case. Thenv for a portion of its length the outside-diameter.-

of the sleeve is increased, as at 59, andfover .this portion a collar 60 fis loosely mounted.

The sleeve is'also reduced in its outside'diameter for the main portion of its length, the

diameter being increased at 6l, Fig. 7, to al size corresponding with the diameter within thegear-case for a short distance, forming a collar, and near its outer extremity it is reduced for the bearing of-the spring-,block 62,

and at the extreme end it is provided with a hexagonalor-octagonal head 56, hereinafter referred to. Coveringr all exposed'portions of thev sleeve q on the left'and the axle E on ytheright are seamless tubes 63. The tube over the sleeve qis' thrust into the collar 60 on its inner end and xed into the springblock 62'at it outer end. Y f

Referring to Fig. 7, the hub of a wheel is shown inlongitudinal section as adapted more particularly for :use in connection with the sleeve q when thediterenti'al gears are used.. The hub 54 of the wheel is constructed of substantially the form shown in Fig. Tand at its insideface is providedwith an opening 55 of hexagonal or octagonal shape of the` desired depth.y The sleeve q'isprovided with a head 56, adapted to fit-'within the opening 55, rwhile a bandf57, of suitable metal, is shrunk upon the hub toutside of that portion of the hub, having'theopening to add strength and prevent splitting of the. hub.`

`The hub is held in place by a suitable `nut on the end of the axle in .the usual manner to allow the wheel Vto be removed at will.

-The right hub on that portion of the axle wherethere is no. sleevetis similar `in con-l struction tothe hub: described, except that a keyway is cut in the inner box at the in-v side end of sufficient length to hold the hub` securely to the axle by means of thevkey. The hubs for the front wheelsof the vehicle are of similar construction, excepting that no keyways or hexagonal or octagonal recesses;

are provided in them.

With the arrangement of clutchesdescribed for'driving at dierent speeds'I am enabled.

to do away with one clutch member heretofore used, carrying out Ythe objects in view` 'I with a central clutch member and coperating members disposed at eachl side of thev same. Byconstructing the shaft E entirely of onepiece extending transversely ofthe apparatus and providing a sleeve upon one. portion of the shafta rigid constructionqis secured for the operation of the transmissionv and dierential gearing. It will also be seen.- that according to my invention the variablespeed connections between the countershaft.

and driven shaft are providediwith aclutcht member, shown as' embodied inone of the gears, and another clutch member, slidable upon the hub of 4said gear, is adapted .toco-f operate therewith and is connected togcon:

merating equivalents, I claim, and desire 'to obtain by Letters Patent, the following:

1. In a power-transmission gearing, the combination of'. a long git-udinally-movable4 counter-shaft, a driven shaft, operative con-v nections between the same, a plurality of con-v centric clutch members connected tocontrolA saidconnectious, one of said members being connected to rotate with the counter-shaft and move longitudinally therewith, and means for moving said shaftlongitudinally o engage and disengage the said clutch memers. 1 42.'In a power-'transmission gearing, the

`combination of a longitudinallymovable counter-shaft, a driven shaft, variable-speed constructionshown anddescribed norenu-V connections between saidshafts, a centrall clutch member connectedtothecounter-shaft,`A

linner andouterconcentric Iclutch members adapted to coperate with said clutch membei and. connected to operate the-variablespeed connections, and means for moving said counter-shaft longitudinally to carry the members. 1

3. Ina .power-transmission: gearing, the

4combination with the gear-case, ofa longitu .dinallyfmovable counter-shaft supported inl s nitable bearings, an ou tward ly screw-threaded sleeve on one'end ofsaid shaft adapted Atoan inwardly-screw-threaded portion of the gear-case, a driven shaft,'variablesp`eed con-- ynections between said shafts, a centralclutchf member connected to the counter-shaft, inner and outer concentric clutch .members adapted 'to coperatewit-h the central clutch member and connected to operate the high and 'low IOO -central clutch member-intoaud out of en` Vgageme'nt with the inner and-outer clutch speed connections, and meanslfor rot-ating v said outwardly-screw-threaded sleeve -where- .by longitudinalmovement. is imparted to the counter-shaft to operate said clutches.

4. In a v power-transmission gearing, the

loosely connected thereto,I a driven shaft and combination :ofl av counter-shaft andy gears gears connected thereto to drive the same, annular concen'tricaclutch members connect ed to the gears on the couutershaft,`a cen-V nected. to'move Iwith`the driving-shaft and Y centrally disposedl clutch member.v t

vtrally-disp'osedl clutch member concentric with said annular clutch members and con# `adaptedto be moved into and out of engage. mentwithsaid annularclutch membersfandv 'meansfor moving said -5...In a.poWer-transmission gearing,'the

combination with .the gear-case, of a driven,

shaft, a counter-shaft, a screwthreaded sleeve on the counter-shaft, bearings for said shafts, a portion of the gear-case being inwardly screw-threaded and adapted to the threaded sleeve, operative connections between the shafts, clutch mechanism controlling the operation of said connections, and means for rocking said sleeve to move the counter-shaft longitudinally and operate the said clutch mechanism.

6. In a power-transmission gearing, the combination of a counter-shaft, a driven shaft, variable-speed and reversing connections between said shafts, clutch mechanism connected to control the variable-speed connections, said variable-speed connections being provided with a clutch mem ber, another clutch member adapted to cooperate therewith and connected to control the reversing connections, and means for moving said lastnamed clutch member.

7. In a power-transmission gearing, the combination of a counter-shaft, a driven shaft, variable-speed and reversing connections between said shafts, clutch mechanism for controlling said variable-speed connections, and means for actuating said mechanism, said variable-speed connections being provided with a clutch member independent of the clutch mechanism for controlling said variable speed connections, and another clutch member movable into and out of engagement with said last-named clutch member and connected to reverse the rotation of the driven shaft.

8. In a power-transmission gearing, the combination of a counter-shaft, a driven Shaft, variable-speed and reversing connections between the shafts, clutch mechanism connected to control saidreversing connections, one of the clutch members of said mechanism being longitudinally movable, and means connected to move said member comprising a threaded rod adapted to an inwardly-screW-threaded bearing with means for rocking said rod in its bearing.

9. In a power-transmission gearing, the combination of a counter-shaft, a driven shaft, a sleeve loose upon the driven shaft and extending overa portion of the same, intermeshing variable-speed gears loose upon the counter-shaft and driven shaft and sleeve, a drum connecting said gears ou the driven shaft and sleeve, and dierential gearing comprising gears arranged within the drum fast upon the driven shaft and sleeve, and pairs of pinious journaled within the drum, the pinions of each pair meshing with each other and each meshing with one of the gears within the drum.

10. The combination withthe gear-case, of a counter-shaft and axle extending through the same, a loose sleeve upon a portion of said axle and extending into the gear-case, the wheels connected to said axle and sleeve respectively, means for operatively connecting the counter-shaft with the axle and sleeve, said sleeve being provided with a reduced portion into which the gear-case fits, whereby the sleeve is confined to its bearing and end thrust resulting from the wheels is prevented.

11. The combination with the gear-case, of a counter-shaft and axle extending through the same, a loose sleeve upon a portion of said axle and extending into the gear-case, wheels connected to the axle and sleeve respectively, said sleeve being provided with means for confining it toits bearing and preventing end thrust from the wheels, and means for operatively connecting the counter-shaft with the axleand sleeve.

12. The combination with the gear-case, of a counter-shaft and axle extending through the same, a loose sleeve upon a portion of said axle and extending into the gear-case, wheels connected to the axle and sleeve respectively, said sleeve being formed with a reduced diameter for the main portion of its length and reduced portions at its ends sepa` rated from the main portion by collars, and means for operatively connecting the counter-shaft with the axle and sleeve.

13. The combination with the gear-case, of a counter-shaft and axle extending through the same, a loose sleeve upon a portion of said axle and extending into the gear-case, wheelsw connected to the axle and sleeve respectively, said sleeve being provided at its inner end with means for conning the sleeve to its bearing in the gear-case and for preventing end thrust from the wheels, and provided at its outer end with an angular portion adapted to the recessed hub of the wheel, and means for operatively connecting the counter-shaft with the axle and sleeve.

14. The combination with the gear-case, of a counter-shaft and axle extending through the same, a loose sleeve upon a portion of said axle and extending into the gear-case, wheels connected to the axle and sleeve respectively, said sleeve being provided at its inner end with means for confining the sleeve to its bearing in the gear-case and for preventing end thrust from the wheels, and provided at its outer end with an angular portion adapted to the recessed hub of the wheel, and a seamless tube covering all exposed portions of said sleeve, and means for operatively connecting the counter-shaft with the axle and sleeve.

15. In a power-transmission gearing, the combination of acounter-shaft, a driven shaft, operative connections between the same, a plurality of concentric rotary clutch members connected to control said connections, one of said members being arranged centrally between two of the others, and means for moving said centrally-arranged clutch member into and out of engagement With each of the other members.

16. In a power-transmission gearing, the combination of a counter-shaft, a driven shaft, variable-speed gearing adapted to be IOO 'clutch member into and out of engagement with said inner and outer clutch members.

17. 'Ihe combination with the gear-case, of a counter-shaft and axle extending through the same, a loose sleeve upon a portion of said axle, wheels connected to the axle and sleeve respectively, said sleeve being providedwith means whereby it is confined to its bearing and end thrusts from the wheels are preventL ed, and means for operatively connecting the counter-shaft with the axle and sleeve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' GEORGE E. WHITESIDE.

Witnesses:

H. M. SEAMANS, I. C. DELANEY. 

